Maryland's Who's who!

[KenLattimore]

Hey Sean, I thought about texting you Sunday as well, but wasn't comfortable sending a text so early in the morning! While at BH I remembered you telling me how your catch rate decreased dramatically in October!

When I went to Dickerson the water was covered with tiny green "plants", so much that the top of the water was totally green and when I threw my frog it would open up then close in a couple of seconds. I threw a frog and a jig, but never made it past the trail to the disccharge. The water level at the discharge seemed decent, but I have nothing to compare it to. Pretty disturbing how much garbarge was down there from other fisherman...

I'm going to try to get out again this weekend, but in all likelihood won't be back on the water until the follwoing weekend. Good luck to everyone that makes it out!

[basser89]

Hey Sean, I thought about texting you Sunday as well, but wasn't comfortable sending a text so early in the morning! While at BH I remembered you telling me how your catch rate decreased dramatically in October!

When I went to Dickerson the water was covered with tiny green "plants", so much that the top of the water was totally green and when I threw my frog it would open up then close in a couple of seconds. I threw a frog and a jig, but never made it past the trail to the disccharge. The water level at the discharge seemed decent, but I have nothing to compare it to. Pretty disturbing how much garbarge was down there from other fisherman...

I'm going to try to get out again this weekend, but in all likelihood won't be back on the water until the follwoing weekend. Good luck to everyone that makes it out!

Those little green plants are duckweed and it can get pretty think from time to time. Frogs and toads work well on top (for some reason, the Rage Shad isn't as effective). I'll throw tubes and soft stick baits mostly the rest of the time.

Yeah, the discharge gets pretty "trashed up" with goofballs that don't know better.

[Bill Poch]

So I'm thinking about hitting up Black Hills after work tonight, but have never really fished it in the fall. Is shore fishing still viable or have the fish moved to deeper water? I'm thinking of either stick-ups or the back wash.

[basser89]

Hey Bill, shore fishing is still a good option. The last I checked, the water temps were in the low 70's. So I see no reason why they would pull deep. Just a heads up, the last I checked, the backwash area is pretty choked out with hydrilla so top water might be your only option other than dropping tubes into holes in the hydrilla around the tubes. The stick ups is pretty thick with hydrilla too but it is still fishable. Spinnerbaits, shallow running cranks (or even wake baits), plastics and top water would be options there.

[wv]

Glad to see some people still catching fish. Just wanted to check-in and let evryone we're still around. Have not been fishing much. Weny about two Sundays ago and were shut out. It's been a pretty disappointing year overall. We did do a lot better on smallies but not much action on largemouths at all. It seems the weather, work and other time-consuming projects all worked against us. Hope to get out maybe a couple more times but not sure. Take everyone and hope evryone keeps catghing some fish.

[basser89]

Good to see you checking in WV! Sorry to hear about the success this year. I had a REALLY dissappointing year last year so I can definitely relate for sure. The year can't be too bad, you've caught smallies! Good luck if you get out!

Not sure when I'll be getting out again, moving to Frederick starting tomorrow (anyone want to help? LOL) and still on the job hunt. Woo hoo??

[Munkin]

This has been an odd year for me fishing compared to the last couple. First Black Hills was on fire this spring with every trip there I had 25+ fish gooing up to 5lbs. Four Locks in March was the best I have ever had and I have been fishing there for 20 years. Big Slackwater which is usually 5 times better than Four Locks on any given day has been a bust. The Lower Potomac was better than average and I even caught two red drum between Mattawoman and Chic creeks on a spinnerbait. Cunnigham falls and Blairs valley were better than usual but Greenbrier isn't worth the gas and I live 15minutes away.

Allen

[Basser714]

i got bored and cast a line into the drainage ponds near 28 and Gude drive. Someone here long ago had planted the seed in my head, so I went for it.

The pond at Gude was at very low levels and no signs of fish. Farther down the road had more promise. There are some lily pads, some nice deer trails to get to the waters edge, but there was a thick green slime on the bottom, and not a fish to be seen. I tried some top water frogs, spinner bait and classic green senkos.

[Bill Poch]

Hey guys, I'm heading out to Dickerson for my 1st time. I plan on hitting the river for smallies. Any thing I should know about going down there?

[Zeebyrd]

Hi everyone,

I am from Jessup, MD (not behind bars though!). I have been fishing Centennial Lake in Columbia lately. I am thinking of driving out to Williamsport to take my canoe out on the river. Any suggestions or advice for that area? How are the boat ramps out that way?

I have been out to Big Pool, Cunningham Falls Lake, and Blair's Valley Lake. I guess Blair's Valley Lake hasn't been all that great lately. Loaded with hydrilla. A DNR rep told me they recently stocked with 150 tiger muskie 18 to a pound, so they have some growing to do.

Laura (aka Zeebyrd)

[basser89]

Welcome to THE boards Zeebyrd! I'm not familiar with Centennial so can't help you there. I believe there are still a few members that have fished there, hopefully one of them will see your post and be able to give you some advice!

While I haven't fished the 3 lakes you mentioned this year, Big Pool and Cunningham are 2 of my favorites. From the sound of it, DNR has started stocking tigers in several places again. You can add Black Hills to the list too. If memory serves me right, its been since 2006 since they have stocked tigers anywhere but the western part of the Potomac.

[Munkin]

Hi everyone,

I am from Jessup, MD (not behind bars though!). I have been fishing Centennial Lake in Columbia lately. I am thinking of driving out to Williamsport to take my canoe out on the river. Any suggestions or advice for that area? How are the boat ramps out that way?

I have been out to Big Pool, Cunningham Falls Lake, and Blair's Valley Lake. I guess Blair's Valley Lake hasn't been all that great lately. Loaded with hydrilla. A DNR rep told me they recently stocked with 150 tiger muskie 18 to a pound, so they have some growing to do.

Laura (aka Zeebyrd)

If I were fishing Williamsport from a canoe I would try below the dam around the bridges.

Blairs Valley is easy to pattern just use dark colored baits and fish the riprap. This year my 3 best baits for there were; black/red flake baby brush hog, 5" Junebug senko and a chart./blue SK 5 series crankbait.

Allen

[basser89]

Haven't had much time to get out since the move to Frederick but I have had 2 chances to get out. I hit a pond that I had mentioned a while back, the little pond in Baker Park in Frederick. First outing, was pretty much a scouting mission and I only brought 1 rod with me. I was throwing a lipless crank (Red Eye Shad) and figured them out rather quick. I managed 5 in the short outing, with the biggest going 17 1/2" (guessing around 2.5lbs). The second outing, I went a little more prepared with a more balanced arsenal. I found myself rather impressed with the pond after it produced my only bass of the outing. That only bass turned out to be a 20" 4lb 2oz chunk! I'm still kicking myself for leaving the camera at home!

[Bill Poch]

Wow Sean, I've tried the pond at Baker Park a few times and really didn't manage much out of there. Looks like I better try again! I'll have to try and hit that thing at lunch tomorrow or Thur. Now that you are in walking distance of my house I'm going to have pay you to take me out, do you take beer or cash?

[Zeebyrd]

If I were fishing Williamsport from a canoe I would try below the dam around the bridges.

Blairs Valley is easy to pattern just use dark colored baits and fish the riprap. This year my 3 best baits for there were; black/red flake baby brush hog, 5" Junebug senko and a chart./blue SK 5 series crankbait.

Allen

I think I am going to start doing some shoreline fishing along the Potomac. I tried Williamsport with the canoe, but had no luck. My fish finder even came up with no fish.

Are there any power plants along the Potomac that are still operating? I am looking for some good cold weather spots.

DNR told me there was a good number of largemouth in Blair's Valley Lake, but they weren't of the best physical quality. I'll go back there with my canoe. In fact, here's a quote from an email reply I got from them: "Largemouth bass were found to be abundant however dominated by smaller individuals in poor physical condition. Trapping efforts were last conducted in 2009 to determine panfish populations. Sunfish and black crappie were found to be abundant and should be attractive to anglers."

Next purchase is a jon boat with electric motor - easier to use on the river. But, while I was out on the Potomac at Point of Rocks over the weekend (day after I went to Williamsport), I had to rescue a stranded boater by giving him my spare paddle as his prop had gotten tangled up in the water grasses (so wondering about the issue of prop tangling with grasses...). Either that, or the motor just gave out. He had a young kid and dog with him - and ONE old and flattened pfd cushion that was laying on the bottom of the boat that looked like it wouldn't have helped anyone.

[KenLattimore]

It was my birthday Tuesday so I took a day off from work and went out to Black Hills. Got out there later than expected at around 8:45 and fished until 1:00. Not one of my best days, but far from the worse. Also, fished the area of the lake over at Wynnfield from 4:00-5:00pm with nothing to show for my efforts.

On my third cast which was a long one with a Fat Ika I hooked into a nice fish, it jumped twice and I could see it definitely had some size to it even from a distance. Unfortunately, it became unbuttoned close to shore and I never got a closer look. A few casts later another hit, but couldn't set the hook. Finally, got a hit and set the hook, but I waited too long and gut hooked the fish. I was unable to get the hook out and started to panic after several minutes so I cut the line and left the hook in. Well, that was a mistake because a few minutes later the fish was splashing around in the shallow water about to die. Well, the fish gods stopped smiling after that because I didn't get a bite for the rest of the day, outside of some bluegills pecking away. I defintely had a problem this year with gut hooking fish, particularly with Fat Ikas. I've used the site's guide on guthooked fish though and almost all the fish seemed to swim away okay.

Hoping the weather will hold up and I will go back out during the weekend of 11/3, sooner if I'm lucky.

Good luck to all!

[basser89]

Wow Sean, I've tried the pond at Baker Park a few times and really didn't manage much out of there. Looks like I better try again! I'll have to try and hit that thing at lunch tomorrow or Thur. Now that you are in walking distance of my house I'm going to have pay you to take me out, do you take beer or cash?

LOL Bill! No need to pay, I've enjoyed meeting up with several members on the boards (maybe with the exception of Brian when he makes me pick the spots. LOL!). We'll definitely have to meet up some time for an outing. I do have some free time on my hands, outside of the job hunt.

One thing I can say about the pond in Baker park is I'm amazed how close to the shoreline most of the bass I've caught there have been. My first outing there, I lost one (guessing 3-4lbs) not a rod's length off the shore. I started paralleling the shore line with the lipless cranks and had several hook ups that way. The big one I caught was out in the middle of the pond. Even with the water color being off, the bass in there have been hitting more natural colored baits. Sexy sunfish and Oyster colored Red Eye Shads, green pumpkin football head jig and a Reaction Innovation's Sweet Beaver in Hematoma have produced for me so far.

Ken, happy belated b-day! The area off Wynnfield has been a tough spot for me for a few years now so don't get down on yourself too much about not doing well there. Shoot me a PM about the gear you were using (rod, line, hook, etc) and I'll see if I can offer you any help to solving the hook up issue you're having on the Ika's.

[BrianinMD]

Sean...from now on, after that comment, you have to pick every spot.

[sprirobass]

I got a chance to fish at BH this morning. Started at the cove by the boat rental area, didn't get any bite from there. Then moved to the fishing pier, didn't get anything either there. Next stop, the tubes opposite of backwash area. I managed to land two on crankbait within 5 minutes. No more bites after that. Hopefully Hurricane Sandy will not ruin next week fishing. Stay safe everyone!

[basser89]

How's everyone holding up after Sandy? We're doing good in Frederick at our place.

One of my friends sent me a few pics of the C&O canal at Williamsport. I'll see if I can load the pics in a few. Sadly, this fishery appears to be lost for some time. His take on it is the overflow gate failed and just about drained the entire section of the canal.

I checked the Hancock river gauge a few minutes ago and its still on a HARD spike and is currently at just under 9'.

Stay safe everyone!!!

[basser89]

I'm having issues uploading 2 of the pics but here is one of the pics from right at the parking lot at the Cushwa Basin.

[Zeebyrd]

Without power here in Jessup. I'm running the house on a generator. Surprisingly FIOS is up and running.

I would imagine a lot of people are without power and internet access and wont be responding too soon.

[Munkin]

I'm having issues uploading 2 of the pics but here is one of the pics from right at the parking lot at the Cushwa Basin.

The area under the bridge is actually a lot deeper compared to the rest of the canal. That section use to be great for LM but I think the bucket brigade hit it hard.

Allen

[basser89]

You're absolutely right about that Allen, that section is deeper and was one of my favorite spots there. The other 2 pics I received were from the middle of the canal and the lower end (where they tied that boat up). But the middle section pic looks like its away from the bridges and pointed down towards the lower end as well.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Damage wasn't too bad over here on the Eastern Shore. At least not around me anyway. A few branches fell off some trees but I didn't see much damage to houses/businesses and we didn't lose power. I did try and hit Lake Tuckahoe this morning though and the water level was up about 3 feet on the lake itself and the exit stream below the dam was up about 6. Fished for 2 hours without a bite so I guess either the fish were really spooked from the storm or dispersed into the newly flooded areas.